What we want: Let our students at virtual schools in Indiana take state testing from home! Currently, even though we signed our children up for a Virtual Experience, we still have to take our children to a physical location in order to complete state testing. There is no opt out option. Students who do not attend State Testing may be met with the consequence of not re enrolling in the future.

Who we are: We are families who have signed our children up to be educated virtually for many different reasons. Our Virtual Schools are VERY important to us! We signed our children up because traditional school was not a great fit for us right now. The teachers, administration, and support staff do so much to support our children and our families. Without them, we would be educating our children completely on our own, or we would be forced to put them back in a situation that is not ideal for them. Virtual school allows our children to flourish the way they do best.

What our struggle is: Currently, the virtual schools and Indiana Department of Education demands that all students complete state testing “in person,” even if they are virtual students. If we do not bring our children in, the school and the students both suffer. In order to change this, we must ask the Indiana Department of Education and our schools to change their policy. Many of our children have physical or mental ailments that make traditional school difficult. Changing the environment for testing can be stressful or dangerous. Often, they will not know the teacher who will  proctor them, nor do the teachers know them. Students must be driven to unfamiliar test sites, often far away from their homes. Parents (or students themselves) may have to miss work for multiple days. Many students have siblings their parents must account for during the schedule disruption. The list goes on. 

Our students are used to being tested at home in their regular environment. Indiana Connection's Academy Benchmark testing is done virtually twice a year with students in breakout rooms. They share their screens, and have their cameras on, and the teachers can monitor several children at once this way. Currently, the laws make this difficult for the schools to do for State Testing. No real reason is ever given except, “the law does not allow for it.” Virtual school students deserve the same consideration as brick and mortar students, to test in the environment they are used to. They also deserve to receive what they signed up for.

How you can help: Please consider signing our petition. We are formally requesting the Indiana Department of Education, our virtual schools, and our State Representatives to change the laws/policies so that our virtual students are given the same consideration as brick and mortar students: to be tested in the environment they are used to, and to receive what they signed up for. Please sign and pass this along to everyone you can think of! We appreciate your consideration, your help, and God bless you always.